Agence France Presse | July 22, 2003
Russia is in the final stages of negotiations to enter the World Trade Organization (WTO), Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov said Tuesday.
Negotiations to enter the world trade body are "nearing the finishing line" after 10 years of talks, Kasyanov was quoted by ITAR-TASS news agency as telling a cabinet meeting examining the results of the last round of negotiations held in Geneva earlier this month.
"There is every reason to think that terms acceptable for us will be achieved. We are effectively entering the final phase of our WTO entry talks," he said.
One of the main sticking points has been Russia's reluctance to liberalize its electricity and gas sector, which still enjoy massive Soviet-era subsidies that keep domestic energy prices low.
Talks on liberalizing service sectors such as finance, telecommunications and transportation, as well as agriculture, have also proven difficult.
Deputy Trade and Economic Development Minister Maxim Madvedkov told the cabinet meeting that Russia could still join the WTO without entirely acceding to EU demands to bring its energy prices in line with world standards.
"If (our partners) continue to insist on a complete price increase, we will have to continue talks for a long time," RIA Novosti news agency quoted Madvedkov as saying. The deputy minister is Russia's chief WTO negotiator.
Talks with the Geneva-based body have also been held up because of differences over opening up Russia's banking and insurance sectors, as well as automobile, aeronautics and furniture producers, he added.
Trade and Economic Development Minister German Gref said after the last round of negotiations that Russia has fulfilled 70 percent of criteria required to join the WTO and accession can be expected in 2006.
Russia is currently negotiating with 67 of the WTO's 146 members and has said it hopes to wrap up those bilateral talks by the end of the year.
Russia will continue negotiations with the aim of "winning broader access for Russian goods to international markets, including additional access options," Kasyanov said.
The next round of negotiations is due to be held in October.Agence France Presse:
